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MicFlip fully reversible microUSB cable takes the hassle out of charging phones, just $13.99

AndroidGuys
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Whether it’s Quick Charge or standard charging of a phone, there’s one nuisance that has always plagued microUSB cables: orientation. Indeed, there’s only one proper way to plug in a charger for your phone. Really, that’s at both ends, too.

Our Deal of the Day today is the fully reversible microUSB charging cable from MicFlip. Not only does it let you plug it into your phone in either direction, but the other end can be flipped upside-down without problem as well. In other words, there’s no wrong way to go about it on either end of the cable.

I have never nerded out so hard over a USB cable the way I am over Winnergear’s MicFlip reversible Micro USB-to-USB Type-A cable.” Mashable

Features

  • Reversible technology lets you plug both USB & Micro USB in either direction
  • Gold coated plugs resist corrosion
  • Super strong Nylon braided cable resists tangling

Where to Buy

Priced at a mere $13.99, the MicFlip cable takes all of the hassle out of charging your phone or tablet. Pick one up while it’s on sale and save 44% before the price goes back up!

Save even more!

In addition to the savings above, when you buy through AndroidGuys Deals, for every $25 spent, you get $1 credit added to your account. What’s more, should you refer the deal via social media or an email that results in a purchase, you’ll earn $10 credit in your account.

Shop AndroidGuys!

If this is your first time buying, then you are also eligible for a further 10% discount when you subscribe for email updates.

How about a freebie?

Not looking to spend any money today? That’s alright, we understand. Why not visit the AndroidGuys section for freebies and take something anyhow? Go ahead, grab two!

The Defendroid adds a new twist to classic block busting games (Review)

Alexandra Arici
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Overview

Ball and paddle-style games were all the rage in the early days of computers and The Defendroid wants to offer a trip down memory lan while adding its own twist.

Developer: Takeshi Games

Cost: Free (in-app purchases)

Impressions

In theory, Defendroid is a fun remake of the classic block-busting game in a new crazy style. It requires the user to tilt the smartphone left or right in order to control the paddle meant to catch the ball.

The game is unique because it creates a curved playfield, which in my experience made gameplay quite challenging.

The goal of the game is to eliminate all the blocks by bouncing a ball toward them using a paddle at the bottom of the play area which moves circularly. If the ball manages to make it past the paddle and through the bottom of the visible area, you lose one life. It seems quite straightforward but…

I for one, found the whole experience quite counter-intuitive and had to spend quite a few minutes trying to figure out how to move the pad properly. I found the secret is to try and move the paddle as slowly as you can. You have to be extremely careful not to tilt the phone too fast or else risk the pad going haywire. But at times my phone did not detect the gentle tiltings, so I had to resort to brusquer movements, which sadly got me nowhere.

You can try and adjust the sensitivity in the game’s settings and see what works best for you. Gamers also get controls for Music Volume and Effects Volume. There’s also the option to turn on/off Screenshake.

Once the ball hits the alien forcefield, you’ll be able to start collecting the falling power-ups which include yellow, green, blue or red coins. Some power-ups throw an extra paddle or two into the mix – making it easier to hit and control the ball – but the effect is extremely short lived! Don’t forget to avoid the bad power-ups.

Another super annoying thing about this game are the constant ads. Die three times in a row and an automatic popup shows up in your face – which you can only skip it after a few seconds. It was extremely frustrating to have my endless spree of deaths interrupted by these ads. I even gave up playing a few times and returned to the game after regaining my calm. Yeah, you can remove ads, but that will cost you $0.99. You can also buy extra coins for $0.99 and up.

You start playing with a white ball, but there are plenty other (of different colors) to unlock in exchange for points. Gamers can earn badges for hitting different milestones including a certain number of games played or tiles broken. As you play and play, you’ll also be able to unlock different skins. Furthermore, the game offers the chance to choose between multiple game modes including Classic and Endless.

At this point, I am not sure what happens if you break all the blocks, whether you are advanced to a whole new difficulty level or if the game ends. I’m still trying to break past the first two layers of alien bricks and I have a feeling I will be stuck here for a while.

Conclusion

Defendroid tries to put a modern spin on the whole block and pad idea, but it seems to me the game needs to become more intuitive to use. Also, the developers should include a quick tutorial on how to play the game, the first time you start the app – just in case people did not read the description on the Google Play Store. But all in all, it’s an interesting, challenging game I’m not going to stop playing for now.

Download The Defendroid from the Google Play Store

OnePlus is giving away ten OnePlus 5’s in its mobile photography contest

Matt Adams
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OnePlus hasn’t been shy about its upcoming phone, the OnePlus 5. I suppose that shouldn’t surprise us because OnePlus isn’t a traditional phone manufacturer. It’s not going keep the lid on all the specs, ignore the leaks, then announce it at some big event. Leaks are going to happen and instead of trying to hide from them, OnePlus is trying another strategy, be open and honest about what’s coming. The company’s CEO took to the forums to confirm that the OP5 would ship with a Snapdragon 835 and we know that there will be a front-facing fingerprint sensor too.

OnePlus and DxOMark recently announced that they would be teaming up to tune the camera in the OnePlus 5 to compete with the big boys like Samsung and Apple. The cameras in OnePlus’ phones have never been disappointing, but they also haven’t been class leading so there’s room for improvement there.

Android Authority says this is the OnePlus 5. What do you think?

In continuing on with the focus on photography, OnePlus has announced a new contest where 10 users will have the opportunity to get the OnePlus 5 early and give feedback to the company on what can improve. To enter you need to head over to “The Lab” and submit your best mobile photography. OnePlus will be selecting the 10 winners from the over 9000 entrants that have already signed up.

OnePlus hasn’t released a timeline for the contest, but if you’re interested you might want to jump on this opportunity ASAP.

Andy Rubin unveils the Essential Home, a privacy-focused Google Home alternative

Alexandra Arici
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Alongside the Essential smartphone, Andy Rubin’s new company has unveiled a second product called the Essential Home.

The device looks like a hybrid between the Nest thermostat and the Amazon Echo Dot and features a round auto-display that can be activated in three different ways: by virtue of a voice command, a tap or by simply looking at it.

While the device bundles some features that are already available with competing products, Essential boasts that the AI-powering the Home is far more advanced than anything we’ve seen so far. We’re given an example as proof – let’s say you’re listening to music and you get a phone call. When the Essential Home detects you’re talking to someone it will automatically lower the volume levels, so you can have a nice, uninterrupted conversation.

The virtual assistant inside the Essential Home will also be able to learn your habits and make relevant suggestions like alerting you lights have remained on when it “knows” (based on your behavioral patterns) you’ve turned in for the night.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Essential Home is that it runs Ambient OS, a new platform which doesn’t rely on the cloud as much as other devices do. Basically, it can interact with smart appliances around the house directly, so it’s also a security focused product. With most data processing happening on the device and not in the cloud, most of your sensitive data will be literally stored in the privacy of your own home.

That being said, we don’t have a lot of information on the Essential Home. The official website does reveal a few images/GIFs showing the product in action, but it does not list any functionalities or show pictures of a real device. Details about release date and pricing are also unknown at this point in time.

Andy Rubin’s Essential phone unveiled with stunning display, modular components

Alexandra Arici
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Following multiple teasers over the past month, Andy Rubin’s contender to the throne of smartphones is finally here. Say hi to the Essential – a premium handset that looks quite stunning.

Like anticipated, the phone features an edge-to-edge display with minimal side and top bezels. But unlike the Galaxy S8, the Essential’s screen goes all the way to the top embracing the front facing camera in the process. There’s a bit of bezel left at the bottom, but that doesn’t diminish the overall aesthetic appeal of the phone.

Contrasting with most high-end smartphones out there, the Essential is not made of aluminum but from a combination of titanium and ceramic (on the back), so it should be able to come out unharmed of most accidents.

Moving on to the raw specs, the phone features a 5.71-inch display with 19:10 aspect ratio and 2560 x 1312 resolution, as well as Gorilla Glass 5 protection. On the inside lives a powerful Snapdragon 835 processor that works in combination with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It also runs Android (most likely 7.0 or above).

On the photographic front, the Essential follows this year’s flagships trend, as it comes equipped with a dual camera system that combines a regular 13-megapixel sensor with a second monochrome 13-megapixel one to help shoot better low-light shots. As for the self-portrait snapper, the Essential boasts an 8-megapixel unit with 16:9 aspect ratio.

The phone relies on a 3,040 mAh battery and includes a USB Type-C port, as well as a fingerprint scanner located on the back panel. However, there’s no 3.5 mm headphone jack, but the good news is that the phone could ship with a headphone dongle included in the package box.

The Essential not only aims to bring an attractive design and worthy specs to the table; it also plans to differentiate itself through another aspect – modularity. The phone will be available to purchase in combination with a few accessories including the 360-degree camera accessory that got teased the other day. It clips to the back of the phone and adds dual 12-megapixel fisheye sensors that can capture 4K 360 videos at 30fps.

The second module to be offered at launch is a charging dock. Like the camera, it will connect to the phone via metal pins. More accessories are expected to be made available in the near future.

The phone, which doesn’t feature any kind of branding on front or back, will be available for purchase in Black Moon, Stellar Grey, Pure White and Ocean Depths. For the time being only the Black Moon and Pure White models are available for pre-order for $699 a pop. We don’t know when the handset will start shipping out to customers, but as soon as we know more we’ll update you.

For now, the Essential will be available in the US, but we might live to see the phone launch in other markets, as well.

OnePlus introduces “Referral program” for old and new shoppers

Alexandra Arici
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The OnePlus 5 is one of the most anticipated phones expected to arrive this summer and ahead of the grand announcement the Chinese company introduced its own Referral program.

Now if you purchase a OnePlus smartphone (or you bought one in the past) you’ll receive a promo code which you can send your friends or anyone interested in purchasing a OnePlus product. Using the code will get them $20 off an accessory of their choosing, while you receive 100 referral points to be spent towards buying gear, accessories, and coupons.

OnePlus notes these referral points will be added to a user’s referral hub in up to 30 days.
It’s very important to note that in order to be eligible to participate in OnePlus’ Referral program your phone needs to have been purchased exclusively through OnePlus.net. So if you got the handset through some other channels, you won’t be able to get your hands on a referral link.

In the official announcement post, OnePlus confirms owners of the OnePlus One, OnePlus 2, OnePlus X, OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T can generate their unique link. The code can be used as often as you like, but bear in mind you’ll only get points when a friend actually uses the link to buy a OnePlus smartphone.

Samsung’s new SoundAssistant app lets you personalize audio on your Galaxy phone

Alexandra Arici
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This week Samsung unveiled a new app called SoundAssistant designed to allow Galaxy phone owners to better customize sound on their device.

With the new app onboard, users can now set volume finer than ever before thanks to the 150 steps of adjustments. What’s more, there’s a floating launcher which facilitates faster reach of audio settings, as well as an option to customize volume levels for different apps.

The SoundAssistant can even remap the hardware volume keys, so they control media volume instead of ringtone. It also offers support for mono audio and left/right balance. What’s more, the app comes with an option called Scenarios which allows users to set volume levels and vibration modes on specific days.

Owners of the Samsung Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ get a special feature, as the app allows them to set different outputs for different apps. For example, you could use a Bluetooth speaker for Pandora and the phone’s speaker for the game you’re playing.

Samsung doesn’t offer a complete list of Galaxy devices that are compatible with the SoundAssistat, but so far we can tell you it works with the Galaxy S8/S8+ and the Galaxy S7.

Since the app’s availability is currently limited to Android 7.0 Nougat devices, owners of most Samsung mid-rangers won’t be able to access it. Still, Samsung might open up the SoundAssistant to more devices, soon enough.

App Highlight: Evie Launcher

Dan Bartram
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The App

Developed by Evie Labs Inc, Evie Launcher is an established app with over 1,000,000 installs. Having been updated on May 23, 2017, the developer is constantly fixing various bugs with the latest update bringing new folder styles. Evie Launcher is one of the best Android replacement launchers there is.

What it does

One of the best features of Android is its customization options and that includes being able to replace the stock launcher with third-party software. There are a ton of options that are available but Evie Launcher keeps it simple. With universal search and quick navigation, the design is simplistic and most important fast. Supporting custom shortcuts and app drawer reorganization, Evie Launcher features everything you’d expect a launcher to have but cuts back on the unnecessary to provide a pure experience.

Some of the features include:

  • Faster and better-designed app drawer, supporting both grid and list sorting
  • Live Wallpapers
  • Home screen management
  • Dock with custom grid
  • Unread badges
  • Folder redesign – faster, unique, and adaptable to your home screen grid
  • Widgets redesign – visual previews and organized by app
  • Backup and Restore – save your home screen and restore it on any device
  • Double Tap To Lock with more complete custom gesture support coming soon
  • Removable icon labels

Why we like it

As fans of customizing our devices here at AndroidGuys, we’re always looking for that launcher that does something different and Evie Launcher is certainly that. With tablet optimization and and backup/restore feature, I can have a consistent layout across devices in sync. With the essential customization options I can make it feel my own but I’m not overwhelmed with hundreds of options and can simply install it and go.

How to get it

Evie Launcher is available for free from the Google Play Store. You can download it right here.

Grace Digital BTTV 100 Bluetooth TV speaker review: Awesome concept, but needs some work

Matt Adams
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I don’t know about you, but I never seem to be satisfied with the current audio solutions that I have. Right now, I have a decent receiver running the show, but it’s nothing special and it comes with its own challenges. Since I have a smart TV, I’ve been keeping my eye on Bluetooth products out there that might replicate or replace my receiver. Enter the Grace Digital BTTV 100.

Grace Digital, if you didn’t know them already, is known for really high-quality stuff. It’s Mondo+ is an example of a cool device packed with a ton features. The BTTV 100 seems like one of those devices too, high-quality with lots of features packed in. The whole idea behind the BTTV is to hook the Bluetooth receiver then place the BTTV 100 anywhere you want it. It still needs to be powered by a wall outlet, but if your TV is across the room and you want a speaker closer to where you’re sitting, this is supposed to solve this.

And yeah, I can see the utility there. If you have an older family member who may be a bit hard of hearing, putting one of these next to them instead of jacking the TV volume all the way up is an awesome solution. No-one wants to hear grandpa watching Jeopardy, right?

Setup

Setup, for the most part, was really easy. Plug the receiver into your TV, plug the speaker into power and pair them. After that, you can find your desired volume with the big knob up front or using the included remote. The remote, while not the biggest or sturdiest thing in the world, does let you control the volume, but also lets your play with the EQ of the device to fine tune.

After plugging the device in, I turned my TV speakers off and that was it. I was all set up. The setup was incredibly simple and I would feel comfortable with letting an older family member try it out with just the instruction manual.

Sound

Proper expectations are going to be important here. You shouldn’t walk into this thinking that the BTTV 100 is going to replicate the sound you’re getting from your Bose speakers or anything.

That being said, I think the BTTV sounds pretty good. Voices were definitely clear, and that’s something Grace Digital hangs its hat on. Big, over the top sounds like explosions, screeching tires, and breaking glass came through but seemed a bit muted. I don’t know if Grace is somehow limiting the loud noises to keep them closer to voices, but it definitely felt different than both my home theater setup and just using the TV speakers.

When you crank the bass, it can boom a bit. Again, this isn’t going to compete with standalone Bluetooth speakers that sit in the price range, but if you have one of these for your TV and decide to play some music through it, it’ll be a good experience.

Issues

So, there’s one huge issue that I knew would cause me to box up the Grace Digital BTTV 100 after my review period. The sync is off. When watching TV, you take for granted that you’re getting audio at the same time as the video. When you see someone’s mouth move, you expect to hear the audio at the exact same time. From my time working in television, I can tell you that even a frame or two (there are 30 frames per second in television) can make a noticeable difference. Unfortunately, I could never figure out how to get this thing synced up with my TV.

I’ve gone over the reviews on Amazon for the device and while only a few mention this type of issue, it is something you should look out for. One of the reviews mentioned a reboot fixed the issue, but I had the issue from the moment I turned it on until I turned it off, with multiple reboots in between.

I also had an issue with the speaker just refusing to work after a while. It only happened twice in the 20 hours or so that I used the speaker, but each time I would have to get up and pull the power and reboot the speaker.

Conclusion

I’d love to sit here and recommend the Grace Digital BTTV 100. I’m a big fan of the company and I love it’s outside the box thinking, but this one just doesn’t cut the mustard for me. The speaker is a fine speaker, but nothing exceptional and the issues I had with the it really kill any kind of enthusiasm I had for it. It feels like a first-gen product that I hope Grace Digital keeps refining until it gets it right.

Easily handle your emails with the Newton skill for Alexa

Alexandra Arici
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Despite the ludicrous amount of apps available for download in the Google Play Store, finding a third-party email client that can provide you with all the services you need might prove quite a complicated task.

In a recent piece, we discussed AOL’s recently improved Alto email experience which among other things, includes better Amazon Alexa integration. If the idea of checking emails by voice appeals to you, you should know there’s an alternative to Alto.

It’s called Newton (formerly known as CloudMagic) and provides a pretty straightforward email experience while embedding a few interesting features like reading receipts, send-later function, and snoozing messages.

And recently Newton was added to Alexa’s extensive Skills library. According to the company behind the app, users can now read receipts, undo send, send later, access connected apps or unsubscribe by virtue of one click, all by issuing voice commands directed at the Amazon Echo speaker.

Once users enable the Newton skill in the Alexa app, they will be able to say things like “Alexa, ask Newton if I’ve got mail.” When Alexa ask back “What do you want me to do with this email” users will be able to pick from a list of answers including “Mark as read”, “Delete”, “Archive” “Snooze till later”, “Snooze till tomorrow”, “Snooze to Desktop” and more.

On top of playing nice with Alexa, Newton also comes with support for third-party apps like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, iCloud, Office365, Google Apps, Microsoft Exchange, Hotmail/Outlook so you’ll be able to have all your emails in one place. The app also allows you to do things like schedule emails to be sent at particular times or see more info about people who’ve been emailing you via Sender Profiles.

But be warned, Newton comes with a $49.99 annual subscription fee attached. While you’re allowed to try the Newton email experience 14 days for free, you’ll need to pay afterward if you want to keep using it to the fullest.

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